CRE Superbugs Called Nightmare Scenario by CDC

CRE is on the rise and the United States Center for Disease Control is calling the emerging strain of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae a Β nightmare scenario that is capable of killing half of the patients that it infects.

One worry among experts is that the microbes (e.g., E. coli) which are resistant to all known antibiotics will escape the hospital and inpatient settings to contaminate community surfaces such as doorknobs and shopping cart handles. Infection control experts at the CDC and other centers are advocating an aggressive and coordinated campaign across multi-levels of health care organizations to control and quarantine the microbes.